The people who work at remarkable brands do things differently. Most of us are familiar with this concept. We know at the core of one of the most successful companies in history is the tagline “think different.” While the idea is seductive and often associated with success, actually executing on it is a lot harder. This is why we’re not all Apple. It isn’t easy to be different. But as the people at remarkable brands prove again and again, being different can pay off.
Here are 7 ways people behind remarkable brands do things differently:
- People who work for remarkable brands aren’t afraid to deviate from what’s expected of them. This doesn’t mean they don’t take their commitments seriously. This means sometimes, innovation requires doing something in a way that’s so different, it’s not something others could even ask for. If you’re limited to doing only what fulfills someone’s expectations, you can’t ever truly exceed expectations. You can’t be remarkable by doing exactly what others ask of you. Simply putting the same factors into the same equation means you’re going to get the same results. People who work for remarkable brands know they might have to go against the grain, go left when everyone else is going right, or make up their own path. They lead the way for others by letting their desire for innovation trump their need for conventionality. They aren’t afraid to not give people exactly what they want.
- People who work for remarkable brands aren’t addicted to “nice.” People who work at ho-hum brands can get addicted to nice. When things are “nice,” they’re good. There’s no need to rock the boat. They’re happiest when they’re “nice” to others, AKA by giving them what they want and appeasing them. Not for people who work at remarkable brands. People who work for remarkable brands know that good is the enemy of great and push beyond “nice” at every opportunity. People who work for remarkable brands don’t appease people for the sake of appeasing them. They can ride out ambiguity and are dedicating to fulfilling a vision.
- People who work for remarkable brands are driven by their core values. People who work for remarkable brands have a rudder. Their rudder is their core values. Their core values aren’t for shouting or posting, but for living by. Their core values guide their decisions. People who work for remarkable brands are driven by their north star, by a higher ideal, that guides them in both in lightness and darkness, certainty and ambiguity.
- People who work for remarkable brands aren’t afraid to say yes when others are saying no. Sometimes, doing things differently requires being open to things others are not comfortable with. People who work at remarkable brands know how important it is to be open to all ideas. They are willing to try new things, go new ways, and see things through new perspectives. This also works vice versa: People who work at remarkable brands aren’t afraid to say no when everyone else is saying yes.
- People who work at remarkable brands aren’t afraid to swing for the fences. People who work at remarkable brands know they’re not going to be hitting any home runs with meek swings. They know they have to swing big to get big results. When you’re willing to swing big, you can win big, and you can also fail miserably…
- People who work at remarkable brands embrace failure. Any businessperson worth their salt knows the power of failure. That’s because winning big means being willing to try lots of things. Finding a new way can mean first finding 100 million ways that don’t work. Innovation requires a high tolerance for failure and disappointment. Just ask people at Google, Apple, Amazon, and more. It’s a part of their culture to embrace failure. If you’re afraid to fail, you’ll never be able to create breakthrough innovation. If you’re afraid to fail, you can’t be remarkable. If you’re not failing at all, something even bigger is wrong.
- People who work for remarkable brands know they exist first to serve the consumer and are willing to fight for them. People who work at remarkable brands are completely oriented to the consumer. When others are interested in doing something that favors profits over the consumer’s best interest, they go to bat for them. They fight for the consumer at every touch point and, most importantly, behind the scenes.
Do you want to be part of a remarkable brand? Don’t be afraid to think differently.
Lindsey Weintraub 